She wanted pink hair, just a little on the right side. A tiny piece of art shaved into the fine blond hairs just above the nape of her neck like a secret only she could decide when to share. This was her birthday present. I watched this ten-year-old perched in a stylist’s chair while I waited for my appointment. She had blue eyes like the start of a summer evening, a swirl of innocence and mischief.

The pink dye would wash out, the faint design quickly become overgrown like an unmowed lawn. But I sensed something in this girl’s bones, a tender kind of strength and bravery that would intensify in the years to come.

This generation coming up, they know so much sooner than I did that there is a part of them meant to be a warrior. I remember standing in a baby dedication at church recently listening to the names and meanings. I noted a common thread–words like strong, fighter, victorious. These girl babies looked around curiously from their mothers’ arms, nestled in cotton and fluff, cheeks like just-picked peaches.

I thought of how the names and the bearers of them seemed like a paradox. Because for so long we’ve been told to choose. Be tough or tender. Be strong or soft. Be kind or courageous. But we missed the point: The choice has never been either/or. In this hard world, tender is tough. Soft is strong. Kind is courageous.

Why? Because this is the nature of God. And we are created in His image.

Oh, yes, we grow beyond the baby stage. We become girls and then women. But sometimes we give up so much along the way that we don’t have to. I want to be a woman who helps this next generation embrace all the parts of who they are. I don’t want them to make the mistakes I did, believe the lies I have, get wounded in the ways I’ve experienced.

When the ten-year-old girl got up from the stylist’s chair I could read just one word on her t-shirt, “strong.” I said, “I like your hair. What does the rest of your shirt say?” She uncrossed her arms. “Strong Like Mom.” Ah, yes.

I’m not up for a wild color or shaved art on the back of my head just yet. I got a trim and plain ‘ol highlights when it was my turn in the stylist’s chair. But I want to take my place now as a fiercehearted woman because there are others coming after me like a wild and lovely parade–the little sisters and the daughters and the pink-haired granddaughters.

From August 16th through October we’re doing a special link-up series to celebrate Fiercehearted: Live Fully, Love Bravely{launching October 3rd!} You’re a fiercehearted woman so I’m asking you to pour out a little love and courage with your words every Wednesday {the link-up goes live at 5:30am CST}. Simply write an encouraging blog post, especially if it’s about living fully and loving bravely, and then share it here. Don’t have a blog? You can still write an encouraging comment. If you’re reading this by email, go to holleygerth.com to see all the fun and join in too.

Pretty please use this button in your blog post so others can easily join in with us {the html code is in the right sidebar of my main blog page}. And when you link up your post, take a moment to leave an encouraging comment on the one that’s linked up just before yours. Thanks, friends!

The women drift tentatively through the door of the (in)courage meet-up. They scan the room and look for a seat. A place to belong. Isn’t that what we all want? Each spot at every table has a little plate with a miniature cupcake on it. Chocolate and vanilla and sprinkles set out like welcome mats.

We begin the evening, talk and laugh, and then it’s time for discussion questions. What makes you feel brave? The women at my table have inspiring answers. One talks about worship music and how the words move her soul. Another speaks of friends who encourage. A woman with a bright smile says simply obeying is what does it in her life.

I can barely remember my answer. I think I copied someone else’s. And I said something about thinking back on what God has already done in my life. I also give a shout-out to my red cowboy boots, the ones I wear whenever my knees start knocking and I need to tap into my inner wonder woman.

But all of my replies feel uncertain to me, as if I’ve left out something important and true. Back in my hotel room later that evening, I realize it’s this: I never feel brave. When this thought first pops into my mind I try to deny it. Surely I do sometimes. Yet I can’t think of a single time “brave” showed up as an emotion in my world.

An Invitation: I am so excited to be doing a Facebook live event with Jennifer Watson and Suzanne Eller on Tuesday, August 30th at 2:30 CT {just go to my facebook page at that time to view it at that time}. And we are going to let YOU decide what we talk about!

What’s on your heart? What’s on your mind? What have you always been afraid to ask but would love to? Leave a comment on this blog post and let us know {email subscribers, click here instead of replying to the email}. Then we will listen hard to all you say and respond via live video. Nothing is off limits–let’s go there together!

For years I treated “leading” like a four-letter word. I described what I did only in safer terms like “helping,” “serving” or maybe “facilitating.” If I accidentally used the word I’d blush and quickly follow it with an apology (as if I’d cussed like a sailor) or a disclaimer (“I don’t mean I’m a real leader”).

But slowly, gently, insistently God began revealing to me that leading is something everyone is called to. When Jesus said, “Go and make disciples” He was talking to all of us. And I’ve come to believe that’s what leading really means: it’s simply living in a way that helps others follow Jesus.

So why is it so hard for us to say we’re “leaders”? I think a lot of our struggle comes from having a one-size-fits-all image of leadership. Then we say, “Leaders are loud and I’m quiet.” Or “Leaders are fearless and I don’t always feel courageous.” Maybe “Leaders have been given a formal, fancy role and I’m just a….(student, mom, volunteer).”

But the reality is we serve a creative God and there are as many kinds of leaders as there are opportunities for leading. Yes, some people are corporate leaders who have the corner office. Some are comfortable on a stage with a microphone in their hands. Some are networkers who seem to make a thousand friends in five minutes.

But some are thought leaders who influence through ideas birthed in silence and solitude. Some are relational leaders who move others simply because of the depth of their caring. Some are practical leaders who work in orderly, ordinary ways that may go unnoticed but actually make everything else possible.

We don’t need to be like anyone else in order to lead; we only need to be like Jesus. He has a specific assignment for each of us. And we are designed to complete it.

If this still sounds a bit scandalous ask yourself, “In the past week, when did I simply help someone take another step?” Maybe you offered just the words a friend needed to get through a hard day. Perhaps you guided your kiddo through a tough homework assignment. Your insight might have played an important role in a project being completed at work. I would challenge you that in all those moments you were a leader.

Oops, did I say “leader”? What I really meant to say was…wait, that really is what I meant to say. The time has come for us to be brave enough to own that word. We may do so with our knees knocking in our cute shoes. We may feel like someone is going to find out we’re a fraud at any moment. We may wish we could hightail it back to our comfort zone.

But we will stay. We will stand tall. We will dare to say it. Because we are women. Because we are daughters of the King. Because we are leaders.

XOXO

Holley Gerth

I originally shared the post above as an article for Propel. But as we wrap up our You’re Already Amazing LifeGrowth Guide Book Club it’s coming to mind again. Because I have a challenge for you: Now that you’ve gone through the material, will you facilitate a LifeGrowth Guide group either in person or online? Everything you need is in the back of the You’re Already Amazing LifeGrowth Guide. I provided resources so that even if you’ve never led anything — you can do this. That’s my dare and invitation for you. And I’ll be cheering you on all the way!

Discussion: How will you pass on what you’ve received through our time together? {Subscribers, click here to come to the blog post so you can leave a comment.}